Chicken Mince From Leonards Chicken

[Miss Monster]

I get frames from Lenards as they get barf mix for dinner. Meisha is a swallower (wings/necks/even a leg once!) and she's great with these.

I get 5 for $1. I have 2 shops close to me and one of the shops always has tiny frames the others much bigger. I ring and order the day before so they can order them in they don't have enough in stock. I get a weeks worth and freeze them.

Bakari gets 4 frames and 500g of barf a day and Meish gets 1 frame and 500g barf.

[Loraine]

Ah awesome, I will go buy some from them. Atleast I can buy it fresh and freeze myself in small sections.

We have a few Leonards around here so if one doeesn't have any, the others may

It is $1.00 per kilo here at Riverton Forum, BUT it has beef in it too - as Lenards are now selling some beef products. I used to use the chicken mince as they crush up the bones in it too, but Zedley being allergic to beef can no longer have it.

Is this all LC or just Riverton? I've not bought from LC in ages!

No sure if it is all Len's, but I would ask in future. The shop in Riverton has just re-opened and I thought 'great' cheap food again, but I saw beef in the display and asked if they mixed it into the chicken mince and they told me they did.

[sumosmum]

We used to have a Leonards near us and the mince was awful. Actually, I bought frames there once and they were off too. This shop has been closed now for about 2 years, but it really put me off buying from Leonards again. I found lumps of onion in the mince.

They are a franchise, so others may be great. This shop had the frames delivered to them because the shop itself did not do the actual butchering of the chickens. I don't know if they are all the same, but that could explain why the stuff doesn't last too long and is often smelly. It has to be transported, so that adds time to the whole process. This shop then minced some of the frames and put the leftovers from other stuff in the mince.

I now buy from a La Ionica chicken place and it is great. Only chicken frames in the mince. $1 per kg and the same price for frames. No chlorine smell. Lasts for ages without going off. Very fresh.

[cavalier_resue_QLD]

As a few people have mentioned, the quality does seem to differ significantly between various Lenards stores.

Going back a few months now I was running late to get home after work, and had forgotten to get the kids BARF patties out of the freezer. I grabbed a kilo of lenards mice (they had never had it before, my dogs that is). It smelt fine, but was pale in colour, to which I was told was due the bone content.

The kids loved it with biccies, but I only fed them probably 2 tablespoons of it each.

About 12 hours later my eldest had horrendous vommitting and was diagnosed with severe Pancreatitis, and we expected the absolute worse.

Several days later, and well over $1500 worth of vet bills he did come through.

My specialist insists it was due to the terribly high fat content of the mince, and after ringing the lenards store and speaking to management, we were informed that over 50% of the mince mix is pure fat and skin.

Having said that, I know several people who use the lenards mince and think its great. Probably just the store I went to, and maybe even just the batch I got?

I would absolutely never use it again though, and I have gone off ALL premade foods now, inc BARF, for the very reason of having no bloomin idea whats actually in it!

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

Wow, CRQ, it must have been either the store in question or a bad batch.

We have been feeding our pups (7 weeks tomorrow) on approx x2 tablespoons x3 times daily of a mixture we make up of minced chicken frames from Lenards with other "goodies" and Nutro puppy food and have had no issues.

If there was a problem with the frames it would upset the pups before the adults who are fed the same diet (bar the puppy food).

[Hafhafa Hounds]

I think it depends on the individual Lenards franchise as to how fresh / handling / contamination etc.

I bought from the Swan Hill VIC Lenards from it's opening to 2008 (when I moved to SA). I was *always* happy and got decent prices - I had a standing order each month for 5 - 6 dogs, plus ppl food!

On the other hand, I was less than impressed with purchases I made at a particular SA Lenards at times. Sometimes ok, sometimes not.

I buy boxes of frames through my local butcher now for $9.50 for a 12 - 13 kilo box. My dog food order thru him is around $120 a month, so he gives me a pretty good deal.

Sonia

[Swizzlestick]

I bought a kg from Leonards at Wendouree (Ballarat) once. Got it home and opened the bag, then threw it in the bin. Was pretty rotten.

I know it was most likely a one off, but I just haven't gone back!

[Lyla]

I have bought chicken mince from Leonards on several occassions, and every time it was absolutely putrid. Never smelt anything like it.

Never had a problem with the frames or necks though, but their prices are rather rediculous. The shop is located inside an IGA supermarket, so not sure who actually owns or runs it. They are also pretty unreliable for whats available.

I usually get a 5kg bag of chicken mince from Petbarn for $7.99. It is great quality and minced very finely so it has been suitable for young puppies too. (Mind you Petbarn in the next suburb sells the same thing for $12.99 )

Recently noticed that the local produce place is doing a 5 kg bag for just over $5, but its a lot chunkier and has a bit more fat. Good winter feed.

[Kempe]

I buy chicken carcasses from Lenards, great bargain at 5 for $1

[Poodlecrazy]

Wouldn't touch the stuff from Lenards a friends Poodle passed at 7 months from toxic mince from there and that was about 2 months ago

I had bought it before that went straight in the bin it stunk

I go to Pet Chef all nice and fresh if I order the day before they do 5k batch without perservatives

very good prices

[bonnie22]

I would not buy from Leonards for my family that includes my dog.I don't rate their produce highly.Don't know what your getting. Bonnie

[Marion 01]

I have fed 17 dogs on Lenards chicken mince and Supercoat dry for years and most of them are aged in the 12 to 14 year age group, with one who is just over 16 yrs old, so certainly hasn't done them any harm. The only trips to the vet have been age related, rather than general health related. In Rocky there are two Lenards outlets, one minces the chicken really fine and the other has coarsely minced chicken. I find that the finely minced chicken always smells but the coarse stuff is ok, and the dogs seem to prefer it. The mince sells for $1.50 per kg, but if you buy 10kgs or over it is only $1.00 per kg.

Marion01

[*Lolapalooza*]

I always use Lenards at Aberfoyle Park SA I really hope theyre not the ones your friend used Poodlecrazy please PM me if it is!!!!

Ihave always had fresh stuff from there and they sell me a box of 10kg of frames for $4 and a box of 12kg necks for $24 they are always lovely.

[Poodlecrazy]

I always use Lenards at Aberfoyle Park SA I really hope theyre not the ones your friend used Poodlecrazy please PM me if it is!!!!

Ihave always had fresh stuff from there and they sell me a box of 10kg of frames for $4 and a box of 12kg necks for $24 they are always lovely.

no Munno Parra ? (not sure on spelling)my son also bought chicken pieces from Lanards somewhere around Brahma Lodge he rang me as they had dark spots all over them and slimy

I told him to chuck them he took them back for a refund he was told they were just bruised

[Red_BC]

I buy chicken carcasses from Lenards, great bargain at 5 for $1

I've always got my puppy's chicken mince from Lenards at Rouse Hill for a $1 a kilo and they occasionally also include some frames free.

Never had a problem with the freshness?

[Stitch]

I used to buy the minced chicken frames from Leonards but it always smelt of ammonia.

I know they use ammonia to clean their benches etc. so I presumed it came from that.

I stopped buying from them because of it - then I started to buy it from a large wholesale butcher in bulk.

I found if they just minced the frames it was OK but if they put offal in the mix it smelt absolutely rotten and I would throw it out (they said it was OK when I complained).

Because I bought it in bulk, it came in a big plastic lined box and I wouldn't know what kind it was until I got it home.

It presented quite a challenge to keep it for the next garbage collection.

I used to mix it with VAN and during all this time (several years) my dogs would get gut upsets every couple of months which I put down to them just being dogs and eating things they had found in the paddocks.

After one particularly bad batch I decided not to buy it any more and switch to Dr.Billinghursts prepared BARF mix.

A miracle occurred - no more upset stomachs, no more vomiting, no more skin allergies!!!

I would never buy minced chicken frames again!!!

I buy the raw chicken & turkey necks from Woolworths and have never had any problems and they don't smell - they also have a use by date on them.

In an emergency I did buy raw chicken necks from Leonards a few weeks ago and guess what - they smelt of ammonia!!

Edited August 6, 2010 by STITCH

[bulldogz4eva]

I used to buy it from Leonards but had a few problems.

The mince often smelled badly of the bleach that they clean the shop surfaces with.

Plus I used to find bits of other meat/spices. in it obviously the residue of what had been in the mincer prior to the chicken frames.

I found that when I stopped feeding it and started feeding the Dr. B's BARF my dogs rarely vomited.

When I was feeding Leonards pet mince they would vomit at least weekly.

Continuity of supply was also a problem.

I don't think chicken frames are very important at Leonards and I always wondered how they were handled and stored prior to mincing.j

I guess I am just fussy!!!

I dont think your fussy I wouldnt feed it either.I bought it a couple of times but the smell was that bad I threw it out.When the carcasses have been sitting there for a few days in their own blood and then minced its not really that hygenic and I value my dogs a bit more than that.

I do feed frames as well but I prefer to fed chicken necks or chicken by itself.

Edited August 8, 2010 by bulldogz4eva

[bulldogz4eva]

Sorry i havent replied, it all depends on the size of the frames as to how many is in a box, mostly though its about 30, but you have to realise that its the front part of the carcass as in the ribs...as the bum part is used for the mince, i like the small frames as you get the whole frame they dont remove the bum part for mincing, this is easier for me as i have to cut the big frames down the middle for my lot as they are only little kids.....there is a heap of meat on these frames as well so dont go thinking you are only feeding bone, the soft bone of the chicken has a conditioning effect on the bowel as well and as a result the poo's cut down to a few little blobs (if you keep the dry food down to a minimum ) the frames are also great for the teeth and gums, my kids have never looked back since starting on these

I think you are getting ripped of.I pay half that for a crate and get more frames than that.

[carrie]

I have two little dogs about 5 kilos each - medium energy chihuahua/terrier mixbreed rescues.

Would one whole chicken frame each be too much to feed them?

[StevenJC]

I also tried the Lenards Chicken Mince about 18 months ago. Wasnt happy with the smell and chucked it out.

Has anyone used a grinder to make their own mince from chicken wings?

Id like to give it a try for the basis of my raw meals rather than using red meat for each meal